Echo Sports Awards - 2010
In 2009 when the South Dublin County Sports Partnership (SDCSP) teamed up with the Echo newspaper and the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel to launch the Amateur Sports Awards we were doing so in the hope that it would provide a vehicle for us to get our name more easily recognised by the sports clubs and by the general public.
We were also conscious of the fact that we wanted to recognise the great sporting achievements that are taking place week in, week out, by individual players, teams, coaches and volunteers. By their actions these local heroes in turn are helping SDCSP to sell the message of getting physically active to the whole community.
The success of the first year of the Amateur Sports Awards, which culminated in a great awards night just before Christmas, surpassed our expectations. It brought home to us the passion for sport and community development which prevails in the county. SDCSP wants to support and nourish that passion and commitment and are therefore delighted to be able to associate ourselves again with the awards in 2010.
We look forward to what promises to be another memorable year.
May 2010 Sports Star of the Month
MAURICE KELLY
MAURICE Kelly recorded one of the biggest feats of his golfing career when he captured the Irish Senior Amateur Open Championship title in Castletroy. The Saggart man secured this coveted title ahead of closest rival Arthur Pierse who had edged him out by a solitary shot in the battle for the Munster Championship earlier in the month. Kelly, the 2008 Spanish Amateur Open winner, was delighted with his latest achievement saying "Winning your own championship is something you always look to do and it was a great feeling to achieve that." Kelly has a busy summer of domestic and overseas competition to look forward to now, starting with the defence of his Irish Close Championship crown in July. This will be followed by the British Seniior Amateur Open Championship in Walton Heath from August 11-12 with the Ulster and Leinster Senior competitions also taking place that same month.
May 2010 Team of the Month
LORETO HC
THE MONTH of May saw Loreto senior women's hockey team bridge a seven-year gap since they last raised the Irish Senior Cup. The race for this year's prize went right to the wire with Loreto eventually beating Railway Union on penalty strokes after both sides had finished deadlocked at two goals apiece in the final. It was a tremendous achievement for the team and coach Graham Shaw, who became the first person to coach a team and play with a team that won Irish Senior Cup Finals on the same day. This achievement will see them back in Europe next season having just recently returned from Rome where they played in the European Club Champions Trophy, finishing up in fifth play. Emerging third in the race for this season's Leinster League title, the Beaufort girls will be ones to watch next term.
April 2010 Sports Star of the Month
DARRAGH NELSON
DARRAGH Nelson was a key player in Dublin's march to the All-Ireland Under 21 Football Championship title. The Ballyboden St Enda's clubman was instrumental in the Blues' victory over Donegal in the decider last month, having impressed greatly in the penultimate rounds against Roscommon. These wins followed hot on the heels of their triumph over Westmeath in the Leinster Final in which Nelson figured strongly. A Dublin Senior Championship medal-winner last season, Nelson played in all but one of the Capital's championship games this year. The victory over Donegal marked only Dublin's second time to win this prize. On the club front, Nelson helped Ballyboden to a strong start in this season's county championship as they beat Trinity Gaels in the opening round. This win sets them up for a clash with O'Toole's in the next stage.
April 2010 Team of the Month
COLÁISTÉ EANNA
COLÁISTÉ Eanna were celebrating last month after their senior hurlers raised the Dublin Schools Senior 'A' Hurling League title. The Ballyroan school completed its march to the prize after they saw off the challenge of Coláisté Eoin in the final staged in O'Toole Park. The win put the icing on a tremendous season for the side which had captured the Leinster Senior 'B' College's Championship title a month earlier. The team is littered with plenty of up and coming talent in with the likes of Cillian Moffat, John Breen and Naoise Maguire who are already on the Dublin Minor Hurling panel this season. A large number of the players on this schools team also line out with Ballyboden St Enda's and are likely to feature in the club's championship campaign later this year.
